Air conditioning apparatus



Dec. 11, 1956 1.. SIMMONS 2,773,678

AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 26. 1951 JNVENTOR.

M ATTORNEY United States Patent AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS Application December 26, 1951, Serial No. 263,253 3 Claims. (Cl. 2 57l37) This invention relates to air .conditioning apparatus in general and more particularly to air induction systems therefor. One of the objects of this invention is to provide an apparatus having an air induction system of such a construction that the primary air will be uniformly distributed across the heat exchange elements of the .unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide-an apparatus in which there is an air induction system ofsuch a construction that the velocity of the primary air will cause a portion of the air from the space being conditioned by the apparatus to be entrained therewith and recirculated with the primary air.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air induction system whereby air from the space when being heated by the apparatus may circulate over the heat exchange elements of the unit upon cessation of primary air flow.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air conditioning apparatus for receiving high velocity air and having non-resilient heat exchange fins to reduce vibrational noise.

Another object of this invention is to provide an air conditioning apparatus which is of simple construction, efiicient in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts to bemore fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as part of the specification, there is fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of this invention in which drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view of an air conditioning apparatus shown in vertical cross-section comprising this invention,

Fig. 2 is a view taken in section along the line.22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken across one of the'heat exchange tubes to show the non-resilient finconstruction.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, the numeral 1 designates an air conditioning apparatus and air induction system therefor. The apparatus 1 comprises an outer casing 2 which is approximately rectangular in construction and of a size and shape asto facilitate its installation, for example, in a recessedportion under a window sill. Positioned within the outer casing 2 is an inner casing 3 supplied with primary air through a conduit 4. Within the, inner casing 3 are positioned two banks of heat exchange coils ,or fluid conduits 5 and 6. Steam or other heating fluid or a cooling medium may be supplied through an inlet conduit 7 to an inlet header 8 and thence to, the horizontal bank of coils 5. A'header-9 operatively connects the two banks of coils5 and 6 and performs thefunction of a reversing bend or coupling. The bank of coils 6 extends at;an angle downward from the header 9 .to aco'ndensate or other return headerl'ilfrom which the heat exchangefluid is withdrawn'by a conduit '11. 'The 'twobanksfof coils 5 and ar are each constructed with extended surface fins 2,773,678 at nted Des .1. 1 56 2 12, preferably spiral, positioned on and affixed to the individual conduits of said coils.

It has been found in air conditioning apparatus of this general type that when high velocity air is conducted through the apparatus there occurs a shrill, high pitch noise caused by yibration of the copper fins. In order to overcome this objectionable noise, the fins in this apparatus have been coated heavily with the solder by which they are bonded to the tubes. This lead coating renders the fins substantially non-resilient and substantially eliminates the noise. This fin construction is shown more clearly in the enlarged detail sectional view shown in Fig. 3. In this view the fin 12 is bonded to the tube 6 by a heavy coating of solder 12 which renders the fin non-resilient as well as bonding it.

The upper portion of the inner casing 3 is formed into a reduced opening or nozzle 13 by having the side wall upper portions converge toward each other whereby the air emerging therefrom may be given .an increased velocity. A metal channel or other U-shaped member 14 is positioned between the two conduits forming thebank of coils 5 and provides a baffie memberperforming the function of causing substantially all of the primary air to pass over the conduits 5. The nozzle-shaped portion 13 discharges into a venturi portion 15 which is formed by twocurvedplates 16;and 17 preferably abutting and acting to limit the width between the walls 18 and .19 of the outer casing 2. Theportion v131 isenclosedat its two ends by plates Ztland 21. A grill or other opening 22 islo cated inthe lower portion of the wall ,19 of the outer casing 2 for the inlet of room onsecondary air to be recirculated with the primary air. Another grill or other opening 23 is located in the top wall .24 of, the outer casing 2 fo r;the discharge of the mixture of the primary and the inducted and recirculated air. A movablebafile or valve 25 is positioned above the bankof coils 5 andcarried bytwo rods 26 and 27 which are mounted between two brackets 28 and 29 and the channel member 14, respectively. The movable baffle 25 is urged towards a normal downward position by two springs 30 and "31. Two non-elasticcords orrods 32 and 33 connect the movable bafile 25 to actuating levers-3.4 and .35.which are, carried y a torque rod 36. Upward movement of the baifie25 will restrict the flow of air through the nozzle-shaped opening 13 thus permitting manual or automatic control of the mixture of primary and-recirculated air. In the primary air conduit 4 at the bend portion 4 am l0- cated a plurality of curved vanes .46 which perform the function of changing the direction of theair without the creation of turbulence. In the lower wall 37 of the inner casing 3 are located one or more gravity operated dampers 38 which are closed by the response of a movable vane member 39 to velocity of air flow thereagainst, moving the dampers 38 through a linkage mechanism .40.

In operation this invention functions as follows:

Primary air .is supplied to the apparatus 1 through the inlet conduit 4. Air from the inlet conduit 4 passes ,into the inner casing 3 and is distributed uniformly over-the coils 5 and 6 by the fins 1 2 on the bank of coi1s=6 which is inclined to the direction of air flow. The fins 12 ion the inclined bank of coils 6 function as deflection .vanes changing the direction of air flow from the horizontal to the vertical, causing the primary airto bedistributed uniformly thereover. The primary airpassing through the banks of coils Sand 6 is -d'ischarged vertically through the nozzle-shaped opening 13.at a high linear velocity. As was previously pointed out, the heavily coated fins 12 substantially eliminate vibrational noise. caused :by high velocityfiow of air therethrough. "The discharge of 'theprimary-air fromthe-nozzlqshaped opening fi into tlieventuri ,portionlS causes soinepf the air-Irom the room to be entrained therewith and discharged through the upper grill opening 23. The discharge rate or amount of primary air leaving the nozzle-shaped opening 13 can be controlled by the removable damper or valve 25. The rate of discharge of the primary air controls the rate of recirculation of room air. As long as primary air is flowing against the vane member 39, it is held depressed, thus closing the dampers 38. Upon cessation of primary air how, the dampers 38 open by gravity permitting air from the room to enter the inner casing 3 to be recirculated by convection.

This apparatus'is particularly adapted for heating or" the room air as will occur when the coils or conduits 5 and 6 are supplied with a heating medium. The apparatus is also particularly useful when the conduits are supplied with a cooling medium as for summer room cooling, for example. It will also be apparent that the apparatus is especially adapted for operation when no heating or cooling medium is supplied to the heat exchange coils 5 and 6, but with heated, cooled, or otherwise conditioned primary air supplied to the apparatus through the primary air supply duct or conduit 4.

This form of apparatus has several advantages over 'earlier types. In this apparatus the primary air is supplied to the inner casing 3 and does not entrain recirculated room air until emerging therefrom. In older types, the recirculated room air was drawn directly over the coils which often resulted in clogging thereof due to foreign particles in the air, which disadvantage is overcome in this form of unit or apparatus. It is a further advantage that the amount of primary air may be controlled by the damper or bathe 25. The functioning of the gravity operated dampers 38 is that of an auxiliary air supply means whereby room air may be circulated and conditioned during such times as the main primary air supply is not functioning.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 734,945, filed March 15, 1947, for Air Conditioning Apparatus and now abandoned.

What is claimed and is desired to be secured by Letter Patent of the United States is:

I. In an air conditioning apparatus for exchanging heat with a space, an outer casing, conduits for conducting a heat exchange fluid therethrough, an inner casing enclosing said conduits, a conduit for conducting air from an external source to said inner casing, one or more apertures in said outer casing operable to permi t some of the air from said space to enter said outer casing, said inner casing having a discharge opening positioned beyond said heat exchange conduits and operable to discharge said conducted air after passing over i said heat exchange conduits, one or more apertures in said outer casing operable to discharge said conducted air, one or more openings in the wall of said inner casing opening into said outer casing, a damper for each of said last-named openings and operable to close said openings, i

said dampers being urged toward a normally open position, a member responsive to the velocity of said conducted air and operatively connected to said dampers to close the same when said air is flowing, and said responsive member being operable to permit said dampers to open in the event of cessation of air flow through said inner casing thus permitting some of the air from said space to enter said inner casing.

2. In an air conditioning apparatus for exchanging heat with a space, an outer casing, an inner casing enclosing a plurality of conduits for conducting a heat exchange fluid therethrough, a conduit for conducting air from an external source to said inner casing, a portion of said heat exchange conduits being inclined at an angle to the path of said conducted air, heat transfer fins positioned on and affixed to said heat exchange conduits, said heat transfer fins on said inclined portion extending progressively further into said path to intercept and change the direction of flow of said conducted air and to distribute said conducted air uniformly across said ber responsive to the velocity of said conducted air and heat exchange conduits, one or more apertures in said outer casing operable to permit some of the air from said space to enter said outer casing, the upper portion of the side walls of said inner casing being tapered to form a nozzle-shaped opening in said inner casing, said nozzleshaped opening being operable to cause said conducted air to discharge from said inner casing at a high linear velocity, said nozzle-shaped opening being positioned so that substantially all of said conducted air will pass over said heat exchange conduits before discharging from said inner casing, one or more apertures in said outer casing operable to permit said conducted air to discharge therefrom, inner wall portions fabricated in the shape of a venturi and positioned above said nozzle-shaped opening, said nozzle-shaped opening'discharging into said venturi portion, said venturi portion being operable upon the passage of said conducted air therethrough to cause some of the air from said space to be entrained with said conducted air, said conducted air and said space air entrained therewith passing out through said discharge apertures in said outer casing, a valve member positioned longitudinally within said inner casing and movable vertically to control the amount of air discharged through said nozzle-shaped opening, one or more openings in the wall of said inner casing opening into said outer casing, a damper for each of said last-named openlugs and operable to close said openings, said dampers being urged toward a normally open position, a memoperatively connected to said dampers to close the same when said air is flowing, and said responsive member being operable to permit said dampers to open in the event of cessation of air flow through said inner casing thus permitting some of the air from said space to enter said inner casing.

3. In an air conditioning apparatus for exchanging heat with a space, an outer casing, an inner casing enclosing a plurality of conduits for conducting a heat exchange fluid therethrough, a primary conduit for conducting air from an external source to said inner casing, a portion of said heat exchange conduits being inclined at an angle to the path of said conducted air, heat transfer fins positioned on and afiixed to said heat exchange conduits, said heattransfer fins on said inclined portion extending progressively further into said path to intercept and change the direction of flow of said conducted air and to distribute said conducted air uniformly across said heat exchange conduits, one or more apertures in said outer casing operable to permit some of the air from said space to enter said outer casing, the upper portion of the side walls of said inner casing being tapered to form a nozzle-shaped opening in said inner casing, said nozzle-shaped opening being operable to cause said conducted air to discharge from said inner casing at a high linear velocity, said nozzle-shaped opening being positioned so that substantially all of said conducted air will pass over said heat exchange conduits before discharging from said inner casing, one or more apertures in said outer casing operable to permit said conducted air to discharge therefrom, inner wall portion fabricated in the shape of a venturi and positioned above said nozzleshaped opening, said nozzle-shaped opening discharging into said venturi portion, said venturi portion being operable upon the passage of said conducted air therethrough to cause some of the air from said space to be entrained with said conducted air, said conducted air and said.

space air entrained therewith passing out through said discharge apertures in said outer casing, a valve positioned longitudinally within said inner casing and movable. vertically to control the amount of air discharge through said nozzle-shapedopening, an opening in the bottom wall of said inner casing opening into said outer casing to permit some of the air from said space to enter said inner casing to be conducted therethrough by convection, a normally open damper controlling said last-named opening, and means operatively connected to said damper and operable by air flow from said primary conduit to said inner casing to close said damper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Keyes May 7, 1935 Oakey July 2, 1935 Child Dec. 31, 1935 Muhleisen Feb. 9, 1937 Carsen Sept. 14, 1937 Stikeleather Jan. 17, 1939 Young Jan. 14, 1941 Palmer June 23, 1942 Otis Aug. 24, 1943 Keep Mar. 28, 1944 Lea May 4, 1948 Ott Apr. 11, 1950 Francisco Aug. 15, 1950 

